Public Access Enquiry Form

Before you complete the form:

I appreciate that the details that I’m asking you send me in this form are private and confidential and I will treat them confidentially whether or not I take on your case. The form will go directly to my clerks in chambers who will check there is no conflict of interests before sending it onto me.

PLEASE read all the information on this website before completing this form – the site is designed to help you try and decide whether or not directly instructing a barrister is right for you.

The form asks questions designed to help me understand what help you might need, so I can get an idea of whether or not I might be able to help through public access.

If there is a hearing date coming up soon, or urgent action needs to be taken (for example if you want to appeal, where there are tight deadlines) you should contact St John’s Chambers by telephone making clear that it is urgent. Unless and until I have agreed to take on your case it is your responsibility to make sure you don’t miss any deadlines.

I cannot guarantee to take on a case without seeing the papers, or that I will be available to do urgent work within your timescales – so if in doubt please go and see a solicitor instead.

The form may seem a bit long, but you can complete it in your own time, and it’s a good way of avoiding you having to be quizzed by me or my clerks at length on the phone.

I get a lot of enquiries from people who would like me to help for free, but I do not carry out pro bono (unpaid) work except through a recognised pro bono scheme – so please do not ask. An enquiry does not cost you anything, but you do need to be able to pay for my services if instructed, as I cannot work for free on your case. If you have no funds to pay for legal advice or representation please do not complete this form – sorry to be tough but it will be a waste of your time and mine. I have listed some other sources of support here.

OK. Ready?

About you

Your Name*

PrefixFirstLast

Your Address*

Street AddressCityZIP / Postal CodeCountry

Your email address*

Enter EmailConfirm Email

Your phone number*

Your date of birth*

(dd/mm/yyyy)

About the other person involved

What is the name of the other person / parent involved?*

PrefixFirstLast

What is their date of birth?*

(dd/mm/yyyy)

What is their address?*

Street AddressCityZIP / Postal CodeCountry

About your children

Child 1

FirstMiddleLast

Child 2

FirstMiddleLast

Child 3

FirstMiddleLast

Child 4

FirstMiddleLast

Age of child 1

Please enter a value between 0 and 25.

(years)

Age of child 2

Please enter a value between 0 and 25.

(years)

Age of child 3

Please enter a value between 0 and 25.

(years)

Age of child 4

Please enter a value between 0 and 25.

(years)

A bit more detail

Please select the option that best matches your situation*

What issues do you need help with?*

I don't usually deal with financial matters, or represent clients who are eligible for legal aid. Parents who are involved in care proceedings are automatically entitled to legal aid.
Please select all that apply.

Where do the children live and how much time do they spend with you?

Please tell me if the children live with you, with someone else or if their care is shared. Please also tell me if this has changed recently.

Does the childrens' father(s) have parental responsibility for them?

Where have you got to so far?*

Please choose the most appropriate option

What work do you think you would like me to carry out for you?*

Please choose all that apply

How do you think you would like me to advise you?*

Face to face at your chambers in Bristol

By skype / video conference

In writing

I'm not sure at the moment

Forthcoming hearings?

Date of any hearing which has already been fixed

What sort of hearing is it and how long is it scheduled to last?

Check the court order telling you the date of the hearing - it will usually give a description and a time estimate.

Do you want me to represent you at this hearing if I am able?

(If there is a court case) which level of judge is dealing with your case?

Check your court order if you aren't sure

Is there any other kind of court case between you?

Practical matters

How do you plan to get the papers about your case to me?*

Do you have access to a photocopier so that you can send me copies of your paperwork?*

I don't hold original documents

Do you have a copy of a court bundle and how big is it?*

A court bundle is all the documents in a court case, paginated and sorted into separate sections

Do you have a copy of the following documents?*

(tick all the ones you have)

Has anybody in the case raised domestic abuse or do you think they might?*

I don't need to know whether allegations are true at the moment

Have you been represented by another solicitor / barrister before?*

If you are currently instructing a solicitor I can only advise or represent you if instructed through that solicitor.

Do you think you might qualify for legal aid?*

Please tell me the name and address of your previous lawyer

Do you mind if I contact your previous lawyer if I take the case on?

That's fine

No, please don't

That's fine but I'd like you to let me know first please.

Are there any other lawyers involved?

Please tell me who they are and who they represent (for example your ex or the children)

Please use this box to explain anything you haven't been able to fit in to the boxes above.

If I am unable to take on your case due to other work commitments would you like my clerks to contact you to discuss other barristers at St John's Chambers who may be able to help?

Where did you find out about me?*

Data Protection and confidentiality*

This form will be sent by email to my clerks at St John's Chambers so that they can carry out conflict checks before I see it (in case I have been involved in your case for somebody else). They will then pass the details on to me if there is no conflict.
Other barristers in chambers will only see your information if you have said above that you would consider instructing somebody else instead of me.
I need to keep hold of your data for six years for my records.
Please confirm you are happy for the information in this form to be held by me and used by my clerks to process your enquiry.

This site

This site is intended to give you general guidance about how direct access works and how I might be able to help with cases that fall within my area of expertise. Please read it carefully and in full before making contact and allow plenty of time to instruct me if there is a hearing coming up. Nothing I say on this website should be taken as a promise that I will take on your case – I may be unavailable, I may have too much work on already, I may think the case is unsuitable for direct access or you may not wish to pay as much as I propose to charge.

Glitches

If there is a problem with this website I’d be really grateful if you could contact me to let me know and I will try and fix it as soon as possible.